


were there clues i didn't see?

by everymagicalprice



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28587657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everymagicalprice/pseuds/everymagicalprice
Summary: "You're always ready to murder everyone in a match of Pall Mall, but it seems Miss Featherington is your only exception".What if Penelope had joined the Bridgerton match of Pall Mall in Aubrey Hall?
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield, Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
Comments: 30
Kudos: 377





	were there clues i didn't see?

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this is just some silly little musings. I had just been wondering what they will do with Colin and Penelope in season 2 of the show (hopefully we'll get one) and I couldn't stop thinking about this idea of Penelope joining them in Pall Mall. I'm so sorry to mess with the sacred Pall Mall scene (a shorter version of it), but I just wanted to focus it on Colin and Penelope. This has a little bit from the book, a little bit from the show, but it would happen in an universe where Colin is already half in love with Penelope but hasn't realized it yet. It's my first time writing for this fandom so hopefully y'all don't hate it too much.
> 
> Fic title is from Taylor Swift's song "invisible string".

Colin had missed Aubrey Hall. Even more so after spending half the year away, traveling through the Mediterranean. Since he was very young, he had always dreamed of seeing different countries and discovering new experiences, this almost palpable tingling that pulled him towards adventures.

But even he had to admit that it was almost as good of a feeling to finally come back home, to the warmth and love of his family, his siblings’ bickering and his mother’s attention.

So finally being able to come back to Aubrey Hall, their family’s country house, after almost two years, felt like a breath of fresh air. Especially during such a sunny and beautiful week.

His mother had invited many big names of London’s ton to the week-long festivities in the property. And judging by the guest list, Colin was already aware that her intentions included one of her favorite activities: matchmaking her kids.

He just hoped that she’d still have most of her attentions focused on his two older brothers and Eloise, who was debuting this season.

He wandered through the corridors and ended up in the morning room, where Penelope was reading in one of the sofas while the Sheffield sisters were in deep conversation by the window. He greeted all of them before joining Penelope by the sofa.

They had only met a couple of times since he had returned from Greece a few weeks ago. The last one at the masquerade ball held at Bridgerton House last week.

They had danced after midnight, when all the masks were removed. His mother had started pressing him to go ask out some ladies to dance, but Penelope was usually some of his favorite company during these balls. 

She had been around the family for a while, since she became Eloise’s best friend, but he had been somewhat surprised when he realized that she was also clever, funny and remarkably witty.

Conversation flowed easily with her, and it was never dull. So with time they had also become friends and he realized, during his months away, that he held her in higher esteem than he did most people outside of his family.

“How are you liking the book, Pen?” She was reading the latest novel from an author that had made some noise around the ton a few years ago with her debut “sense and sensibility”.

“Oh it’s much better than her first one so far. I’m still not certain about the male protagonist though.” She said, scrunching her nose at the book. “He’s been nothing but standoffish and unnecessarily rude.”

“A bit like Anthony, then” He says jokingly and it makes her laugh. She had a lovely laugh.

“Your brother is perfectly polite, Colin, he’s nothing like him. And you’re his complete opposite”. She seemed to catch herself at that, blushing a little, what made Colin smile at himself.

“I’m sure Miss Sheffield would pretty much beg to disagree” He sensed she’d rather he didn’t acknowledge the last part of her comment. He lowered his voice a bit, but the Sheffield sisters were still distracted in conversation by the end of the room.

“Edwina? They seem to get along quite well” She said, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh no, Kate. Apparently she doesn’t think much higher of my brother than you do of this rake from the book.”

She seemed a little shocked at that, but soon corrected. “I wouldn’t say he’s exactly a rake, at least as far as I’ve read. But what could have made her think so low of your brother?”

“I don’t know. But I have to say it was quite entertaining to watch the air chill when I introduced them a couple of weeks ago” He said in his smuggest tone.

“I assume I’d better not even ask what you did, Colin” She said, trying to reprimand him, but he could see she was holding back a smile.

“Nothing but a bit of brotherly meddling, I assure you”.

His sister came into the room then, followed by her husband Simon and looking quite excited. They greeted everyone in the room and then she invited Colin, Penelope and both Miss Sheffields for a match of Pall Mall. 

As every other Bridgerton, Colin was immediately in his competitive mode at any mention of Pall Mall “I should warn you that things can get quite ugly in a match of Pall Mall with the Bridgertons”. 

“From what Eloise has told me, I have to say I am a bit frightened to accept the offer” Penelope mused casually.

“Is this a team game? I never played it” Kate asked.

“No, it’s individual, but mother made sure to buy a set for 8 players, so each sibling could always have its own” He answered.

Daphne cut in at that “This time we must make sure Anthony will throw his ball in the lake.” She told the ladies. “I’ve never forgiven him for last time. I dunked my red ball in there and Colin and Benedict almost cried laughing, but Anthony was actually the worst. He just stood there, smirking at me”.

"I don't know why that doesn't suprise me" Kate whispered to herself, but Colin heard it and couldn't hold back a smile. 

“Well, I did help you retrieve the ball from the lake afterwards” He added to his sister.

“And that’s why you’re always my favorite sibling.” She answered with an angelic smile, even though he could see a bit of sarcasm in her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

They all ended up accepting the invitation, with Anthony and Eloise joining them, since Benedict was still in the same sour mood since the masquerade ball in the previous week.

There was some quarrel when Anthony arrived late with Eloise and realized that Kate had the mallet of death and he was left with the pink mallet. Colin had to admit that he liked Miss Sheffied even more by the minute. Nobody managed to rile up his brother quite like her.

When the field was finally ready, all four Bridgerton siblings looked ready to attack. Whoever wasn’t used to their family antics would think they were about to commit murder.

“Why do I have the feeling we meddled in a family fight?” Edwina whispers to her sister.

“I believe the Bridgertons take this game far too seriously” Kate replied, murmuring.

“No, no, no! You’re not allowed to confabulate!” Colin scolded them, pointing his finger at the sisters. “Come on Hastings, just hit the damn ball already. We don’t have all day!”

“Very well, Simon!” Daphne cheered on her husband when he hit the ball, which earned a glare from Colin.

"We don’t cheer on the opponents in this game” He said.

Penelope had been observing the dynamic quietly, finding it amusing to see how the spirit of competition had affected the siblings. She whispered to Eloise, who was beside her “How should I hold this mallet? I have never done this in my life.”

Eloise just glared at her and said “I’m sorry Penelope, but while we’re at this field, we’re rivals.”

"God, you all do take this very seriously” She mumbled.

Colin, who was nearby waiting for his turn, smiled at her and said “Just hold both hands closer to the end of the stick, Pen. And don’t hit too hard on the first time or you’ll lose the ball.”

“Colin! We don’t confabulate with the opponent, right?” Daphne called him out. Penelope still thanked and smiled at him in return.

Anthony, who had just made his move, narrowed his eyes at him and said “Just come already Colin, it’s your turn”.

When it was Kate’s turn to hit the ball, she asked “Could I hit the ball once just to train a bit?” It was received with a roaring “NO” from all four siblings, at the same time. Anthony reserved a special angry glare for her.

More than half an hour later, Anthony was ahead of everybody else and Penelope and Kate were the last in the field. Kate was behind because she had been initially sabotaged by Anthony, but it seemed Penelope wasn’t particularly good at the game. 

Because of Daphne’s confusing setup, he was standing a little behind her on the field, but was actually three obstacles ahead in the game. The thing is, she looked pretty sad standing there alone in the end of the field. She had barely even spoken after Eloise’s remark when the game started.

And Colin didn’t like her sad face. It didn’t match her. She had such a pretty smile. 

That is the only reason that could possibly explain whatever possessed him to do what he did next. He saw that his ball was almost in the same direction as Penelope’s, if he directed his mallet a little more diagonally.

So when it was his turn again, he focused, rocked his mallet a few times and hit Penelope’s ball with his own, propelling it one obstacle ahead in the field. It wasn’t even the best direction for his own ball, since now he would need one more move to get to another obstacle.

Everybody immediately stopped and stared at him like he had grown a second head. Penelope just looked at him with wild shocked eyes, as if she didn’t understand what he had done. Not even he understood it himself.

“Why did you do that?” She asked, almost whispering.

"I- I just..." And he just stammered, because this time he honestly didn't know what to say.

But he never had a chance to answer, because soon Anthony was cursing at him “Colin, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Two rounds later, the game ended quite dramatically. Kate managed to throw Anthony’s ball at the lake. She was cheered by the rest of the group and deemed the winner of the day.

After all, anyone who was capable of making Anthony Bridgerton take off his boots and get in a cold lake to chase after his pink ball deserved to be named the Pall Mall winner.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the end of the afternoon, Colin was in the office drinking with Anthony and Benedict. He couldn’t help but tease his brother a little more.

“Never thought I’d live to see the day a woman would make you chase after your pink ball” Even Benedict had to laugh at the silly innuendo.

“You think you’re funny, but look who is talking.” He glared.

“What do you mean?” Colin asked.

Anthony narrowed his eyes at him, looking like he was aware of some information Colin didn’t share.

He simply said “You’re always ready to murder everyone in a match of Pall Mall, but it seems Miss Featherington is your only exception.”

Now, was she?

**Author's Note:**

> So, any Austen lovers out there who caught the reference? I can't help but compare Kate and Anthony with Darcy and Elizabeth a little bit.
> 
> What did you think? I have some other prompt ideas, please leave a comment if y'all would like it.


End file.
